Xtreme Racing News

The Fonda Speedway gates will open once again this Saturday to start their 64th season of racing. On tab is the annual Ice Jam 50 for the Modifieds paying $4,000 to win, 25 lap DirtCar 602 Sportsman race, 20 lap Pro Stocks and 15 lap Street Stocks. Stewart Friesen has won the last 2 years, one of five to have multiple opening night wins, Jack Johnson has eight, the late Lou Lazzaro has seven. Friesen is expected to be in attendance in the Halmar International, Parks Comapnies, Jeff Daley and Sons #44 as NASCAR is off this weekend for Easter. Friesen won 4 consecutive track titles from 2012-2015 before going to Halmar and running at Orange County, in which he didn't get his first win at the track until Eastern States. Ronnie Johnson won the 2016 track title after Jeremy Wilder and Bobby Varin both had issues trying to pass RJ for the lead, as both blew tires. Back at it this weekend.

Speaking of RJ, his former developmental drive Connor Cleveland is switching his Friday night track to Airborne, which is going back to dirt for the first time in over 20 years. Cleveland will still run at Fonda as of now and will also run the DirtCar Sportsman Series. Cleveland lost the 2016 Sportsman title at Albany-Saratoga by a point, and a car length to Jeremy Pitts after staing in the back after a heat race crash, after unsuccessfully trying to get someone's car, they quickly went home, got the backup and Cleveland went on a Facebook rant about Chris Johnson when Cleveland was too aggressive on the first lap and ran into Johnson himself. Ironically, Chris' brother Marc went on to win the Modified title that same night by a car length over Brett Hearn. That was not the first time Cleveland has had incidents with fellow competitors as in 2015 he attempted to get by Tim Hartman Jr with 2 to go, he went up, lost control which sent him into the infield, Hatman went on to win as Cleveland wrecked him multiple times on the cool-down lap, he was originally suspended one race but comments towards track officials earned him one more week.